When Universes Collide
by Savannahbobanna
Summary: Aro sends Demetri to go investigate the packs of werewolves in the Pacific Northwest. Demetri lands himself in a fight, and it's clear that he is outnumbered. He only survives because one of the wolves suddenly seems very attached to him. A Leah/Demetri story.
1. Chapter 1

**I've got the bug, guys. Sometimes a story just decides it needs to be written. AND HERE WE ARE!**

**Summary: **Aro sends Demetri to go investigate the packs of werewolves in the Pacific Northwest. Demetri lands himself in a fight, and it's clear that he is outnumbered. He only survives because one of the wolves suddenly seems very attached to him. A Leah/Demetri story.

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Aro was known for crazy ideas, but this one took the cake. We all knew what he thought of those of us in his guard. He said we were a family, but it seemed a little bit different from our perspective. We were his collection. We may have been loyal, but we certainly knew where we stood. It was this fascination with his collection that had me sitting in our jet, on the way to Seattle.<p>

Aro was insane. After we had all trekked to that horrible town in Washington, it was suicide for any of us to go back. The Cullens themselves would be enough to destroy me, and that wasn't even factoring in the reason I was going there in the first place. Aro wanted wolves. Even just one wolf would be enough. He wanted to study them, to figure out what exactly made them tick. And once he knew, he thought he could use them to make the Volturi stronger.

I was not being sent to retrieve anyone. I was there to observe, to find the wolves and figure out the best way to approach the situation. Would we bring Jane in to help? Or would they be willing to discuss the matter like civilized people?

I doubted it.

I closed my eyes as we began our descent into Seattle. I was going to try and find a wolf that I might be able to talk to. I had seen many of the wolves when we took our trip, so it wasn't hard to find a tenor that I liked. This one seemed young, a bit carefree. Most of all, his mind seemed the most welcoming. It was comfortable. Perhaps he was around our kind more often than the others had been.

This was the one I was going to find. He might talk to me. If not, I didn't think he would be a problem.

When we landed, I started running. There was no need to take a car. The kid was close. I could smell familiar scents as I got closer to the Cullens. I was also assaulted with the scent of the werewolves. I didn't know how the Cullens could live so close to the dogs. The smell… it was spicy, musky, and entirely unpleasant. It was raining, and I hoped that would wash some of the scent away.

The child's tenor sang louder in my mind. As I got closer, I began to hear his breathing, his paws on the damp forest floor. He was alone, which I was thankful for.

I ran ahead of him to cut him off. I stopped in a small clearing and waited.

He slowed down, and I saw him hesitating just before the break in the trees.

"I am not here to hurt you, child," I said quietly. He could hear me. "I just would like to speak with you. My name is Demetri."

He waited a moment longer before the massive wolf disappeared, and left a tall but skinny youth in his place. He pulled on a pair of shorts as he walked cautiously towards me.

"The Cullens didn't say they were expecting anyone," he said uncertainly.

I nodded. "I didn't let them know I was coming. My business here actually has nothing to do with them. What is your name?" I smiled. If he felt comfortable, he'd be more likely to talk.

He stopped approaching and stood defensively. He was about twenty feet away. If he changed back, it would be no problem for me to take care of him.

"Seth," he answered uncertainly.

"You are close with the coven here then?" I asked. If he was, then maybe he was not the wolf for me. I needed a wolf that was open to the idea of vampires, but didn't feel loyalty towards the coven here.

The boy tensed, and his eyes flashed behind me. I spun around just in time to see a massive brown wolf charging towards me. There was no time to run. I sunk into a crouch, ready to absorb the impact.

The force of it surprised me. I was thrown backwards into a massive pine tree. With a snap, the whole trunk splintered into pieces. Before I hit the ground, Seth was there. He ripped at my stomach, and I was surprised when an entire piece of my torso went with him. I had never been so wounded, and it was by a _child_. So easily they seemed to tear through us.

I roared and shoved the young wolf away from me. I heard one of his bones snap, but there was no time to celebrate. The brown wolf was there again, and his claws cut through the hard skin in my thigh. I growled and threw my entire body at him. I managed to get my arms around him and I squeezed.

A smaller, grey wolf shot from the trees. It tackled both of us. I wrenched free of the wolves and got to my feet as quickly as I could. My torso was hurt very badly. I placed my hand over my stomach, not sure of what would happen if I let go. I crouched, ready to defend myself until I couldn't any more. If I was going down, I was going to take one of take one of these dogs with me. I tried to take a step forward, but I fell to my knees. I was more injured than I had realized. My right leg seemed to barely be attached. I wasn't giving up though. I tensed, ready for the next assault.

But they didn't attack me again. Seth stopped and stared at me. His mouth hung open. His breathing was labored. The grey wolf disentangled itself from the huge russet one. IT took two quick steps towards me. I started to growl, but stopped when the wolf changed into a woman.

"He's hurt," she said, matter-of-factly. She didn't seem to notice that she wasn't wearing any clothes. "We need to get him help."

She didn't seem to hesitate as she walked towards me. She didn't seem intimidated, or scared. Her eyes searched my face. I don't know what she saw there. Why did she feel the need to attack a member of her own pack? Was it to save me? That sounded ridiculous.

Tears sprang to her eyes. "Guys, _now_, please!" she yelled. Her eyes flashed to my stomach, and I looked down.

Things were not good. My vision started to swim. What a horrible feeling it was. I was strong, but I was having trouble keeping myself upright. I sank to the ground.

She was next to me then. Spicy and sweet, her scent did not actually bother me as much as it should have. I must have been losing it. She reached towards my face, and I snapped at her. She shook her head.

"I am trying to help you, idiot," she murmured.

"Why?" I grunted.

Her hand was on my face then, fire against ice. I gasped. "Because apparently I'm even more fucked up than I thought I was." She looked angry, nervous maybe? What was this girl's problem?

Two boys appeared above us. The stench burned my nose. Seth and what must have been the brown wolf. They reached towards me, and I pushed myself back with all of the strength I had left. I only managed to make it ten feet before I collapsed again.

The girl growled. "Let us help you, _please_," she begged. Her tears were falling now.

The boys exchanged a glance before coming over and lifting me to my feet. Then we were running.

"Leah," said the older boy. "I don't know if he's going to-"

"_Shut up_," she said through clenched teeth.

We were approaching the Cullen's residence. I could smell them. Perhaps they had some arrangement. Let the vampires deal with their own kind. Perhaps I could reason with them. They'd be more likely to listen than the wolves, I wagered.

A huge white house came into view. The girl, Leah, was ahead of us. At some point, she had managed to slip into shorts and a ratted shirt. She pushed the back door open.

"Carlisle!" she screamed. "Carlisle, please _please_ help! Jake, Seth, put him in here!"

The boys rushed me inside and dumped me on a couch. I noticed Seth's arm hanging at an unnatural angle. I closed my eyes. The pain in my stomach was spreading. There was something very wrong. There were so many people in the house. All of the Cullens, the child, and three werewolves.

"Renesmee, stay upstairs," hissed Rosalie.

"What the _fuck_?" spluttered Emmett.

"Leah, how?" gasped Edward.

He must have known what was going on. He would be able to read it in her thoughts. My eyes shot open when I felt the doctor's hands prod my side.

"I need to know what happened," said Carlisle. He was the calmest person in the room.

Leah spoke then, her voice shaking. She was sitting by my feet, bouncing slightly. "We knew he was here as soon as Seth did. Jacob and I rushed to help. I had never seen him before, but Jake said that he was one of the Volturi's guard. I was farther away, so Jake got there first. They…" her eyes flashed to my mangled body. "I barely made it. Carlisle, please!"

He paused. He appeared to be thinking something over. "You imprinted? On Demetri?" he finally asked.

She nodded furiously. "Just my fucking luck!" She placed her hand on my unhurt leg, and a shock went through me. I didn't know what had possessed her to make her believe that that sort of contact was okay.

It was too much. This was not going at all to plan. I was supposed to slip in quietly. This was a disaster. It was infuriating. Everyone knew what was happening except for me. A shudder erupted from the small of my back.

"Stop," I muttered.

"But he's a vampire!" exclaimed Jasper.

"I guess it doesn't matter?" offered Bella.

"Leah needs us to help him," said Esme.

"_Stop!_" I roared. The room fell silent. "Can someone," I gasped, "please, tell me what the hell is going on?"

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><p><strong>Poor Demetri :(<strong>

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	2. Chapter 2

**LEAH**

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Of course I imprinted on a stupid vampire. My heart was thumping in my chest as I looked down at him there on the Cullens' couch. Jacob and Seth had done a number on him before I was able to stop them.

"What is going _on_?" Demetri repeated. His voice sent chills through my spine. His shirt was ripped open, exposing his mangled stomach. His leg was bent in a sickening angle. I tried to keep the dumb tears in my eyes, but they brimmed over again.

He looked at me, incredulous. "I do not even know you. Why are you crying?"

That stung. I certainly didn't want to be crying. I didn't want to be hurting. And I definitely didn't want all of this to be over a bloodsucker. He wasn't even a Cullen. He was part of the Volturi! The universe must have been playing a horrible joke on me.

I didn't know what to say. Once he knew, he'd probably leave. He'd probably laugh at how ridiculous the whole concept was and leave me here. Everyone was looking at me, waiting for me to respond.

"Oh my God, this is so awkward!" exclaimed Emmett. "Leah is totally in love with you. It's some freaky wolf thing."

My mouth fell open. There was so much more to it than that! How embarrassing! "Emmett, you asshole!" I leapt off of the couch and punched him in the arm as hard as I could. My fingers snapped, definitely broken, but I didn't care. They'd be fine again soon.

He winced and rubbed his arm. "He was going to find out eventually," he muttered.

I didn't want to turn and look at Demetri. I could feel his eyes on my back. I'm sure he thought I was insane. I mean, I thought I was insane! The tension in the room was so thick. My hands started to shake. Why did everyone have to be here to see me be humiliated?

"Guys, let's go. Demetri will clearly not be a problem for a while, and I think Leah might explode if we stay here any longer." For once, I was so grateful Edward could read my mind. One by one, people filed out of the room, until it was only Carlisle, Jake, and Seth left.

"I will be okay. Go," I muttered.

They both nodded. I would be in no danger here.

Finally, when it was just Demetri, Carlisle, and me, I turned around.

He was frowning. Even upset and confused he was beautiful. I wanted to smile, but I couldn't. He was going to break my heart, obviously. There was no way that he would have ever wanted to be with me. We were supposed to be natural enemies. I could only imagine what he thought of werewolves.

I needed to be near him. I didn't care what he thought; I would make sure he was safe. He could hate me all he wanted, but Carlisle was going to fix him. I sat on the floor next to the couch. His eyes followed me.

"Carlisle?" I murmured, not taking my eyes off of Demetri's face.

"He is healing quickly, Leah. You do not have to worry."

I could have laughed I was so relieved. I smiled and couldn't help myself. I reached up to brush a piece of hair from Demetri's face.

He flinched, and the reality of the situation came back to me.

"Listen," he started uncertainly. "I appreciate what you did for me. Honestly, I do. But I have no idea who you are. I don't know what imprinting is, or why it means you're apparently in love with me. I was sent here to learn more about the wolves. I've certainly learned something!" He gestured to his body, which was already looking better. "Thank you for helping me, but I do not know what you expect me to do here."

Yep. Even though I knew it was coming, it felt like I had been punched in the chest. Hearing the rejection was much worse than I thought it would be. My body trembled. I needed to leave. I was going to phase, and I didn't want to be anywhere near Demetri when that happened.

"Go, Leah, it's okay," said Carlisle.

I sprinted out of the house. I barely made it. As soon as I phased, Seth and Jacob were in my head.

_No_, groaned Seth.

_Oh shit,_ thought Jacob.

I growled loudly. They always had to know. They knew all of my stupid thoughts about Sam, and now they knew how I felt about Demetri.

It was so much worse.

Their voices disappeared quickly, and I was so grateful that they let me be alone.

I pushed myself as hard as I could. Running, running. It was the only thing I was good at. I didn't know where I was going. I didn't care. It didn't matter anymore. My life was Demetri's, and he obviously would never want me. The world was a cruel place. I must have done something truly horrible in a past life, for the universe to play such a horrible trick on me. Maybe it was trying to get rid of me.

I didn't consciously make the choice to turn towards the cliffs. I just ended up there. Maybe this is what needed to happen. If I were gone, so many people would be better off. Jacob and Seth would not have to deal with my mood swings anymore. I wouldn't be making other people feel horrible because my imprint didn't love me back. A shudder wracked my body when I thought of it again.

I howled. I was alone. Seth would take care of mom. Jake would take care of Seth. People would be happier. I wouldn't have to deal with the burning, aching hole in my stomach anymore. This must have been why the world had decided to do this to me. To take me out, so everyone else could be happier.

The thought calmed me. I phased back. I crept to the very edge of the cliff. It would be easy, once I took the step. Just let the current take me. I wouldn't have to try. People died from drowning all the time. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and leaned forward.

Huge hands pulled me from the edge. My eyes flew open in shock.

"_Don't you dare_," growled Sam. He spun me around and wrapped his arms around me.

I gasped and my body went limp. I sank to the ground, and Sam came with me.

"No," I groaned. I felt sick. A scream built in my throat. "_NO!_"

My body heaved with the force of my sobs. Sam held me, stroking my hair. He didn't want me. Demetri had become my life in that one moment and he didn't want me.

"Nobody wants me," I cried. "Nobody."

"Leah, that is absolutely not true." He held me out at arm's length and tried to catch my eyes. I couldn't look at him. "How could you do that to Seth? To your mom? To _me?_" His voice was rough.

My heart dropped. "They would be better without me," I whispered.

"Ugh! Leah, I wish you would see yourself how others see you. There are people in this world who would never be the same again if you killed yourself." He hugged me to his chest again.

I shook my head. I didn't believe him. Tears still streamed down my face, silently then. I knew the truth.

I didn't remember falling asleep. I woke up as I was being carried through the forest. I didn't know where I was going. It didn't matter. I was dead inside. I kept my eyes shut.

The icy smell hit my nose, and then I knew where we were going. It was only a second before I was inside the Cullen house. I was set on a couch. I kept my eyes closed. I didn't want to be bothered.

"She tried to _kill herself_," growled Sam as quietly as he could. "I would kill him if it wouldn't kill her."

"Excuse me, I do not think I can be held responsible for that." Demetri. My heart sped up.

"You idiot. You do not understand. When a werewolf imprints on someone, that person becomes their life. She doesn't care about anything right now except for you. For you to reject her and make her believe that you will never, ever have feelings for her… it was too much. I barely caught her before she jumped off a cliff."

"We've never seen someone imprint on a vampire before," added Carlisle. "This is very unusual."

"I still don't know what you expect me to do," said Demetri simply. "I do not wish her any ill will, but I cannot _pretend_ to have feelings for her."

I couldn't hide it anymore. My arms started to shake. I may not have been able to make it to the cliffs then, but that wasn't the only way.

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><p><strong>Saaaaaaaad :(<strong>

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	3. Chapter 3

**I am having a blast writing this. I love Leah and I love Demetri and they both are SO CONFUSED.**

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><p><strong>DEMETRI<strong>

I had been living for a very long time. I had seen some pretty wild things. But if you had ever told me that a werewolf would be irrevocably in love with me, I never would have believed it. Werewolves and vampires were mortal enemies. Everything about them was there to disgust us, to make us uncomfortable. It seemed like perhaps the Cullens and their dogs were playing a horrible joke on me.

That's what it seemed like until Leah was carried into their house after trying to kill herself. After Leah left the house, shaking like mad, Carlisle told me that I'd be fine. He said I could stay here until I was healed. He told me I would have a choice to make, but it wasn't his place to let me in on the details.

He left me alone then. I would not be any trouble, considering my leg throbbed and my guts threatened to spill out of my stomach wound. It would take me a few days to heal enough to travel any sizable distance. I hoped the Cullens wouldn't kill me before then.

Leah wasn't gone long. Only a couple of hours. And then another man, I assumed another wolf, carried her into the house. She was wearing a massive t-shirt. I assumed it was one of his. She looked very small there in his arms.

Carlisle, Jasper, and Emmett were at the door instantly. Jasper quietly pointed to the other couch, and the man gently placed her there. She was still sleeping. Her face wasn't calm, though. Her brow was furrowed and her jaw was clenched.

"She tried to _kill herself_," growled the man quietly. "I would kill him if it wouldn't kill her."

I pushed myself into a sitting position. It stung, but I was healing faster now. How rude he was! I had no obligation to these wolves. "Excuse me, I do not think I can be held responsible for that." I tried to remain civil.

"You idiot. You do not understand. When a werewolf imprints on someone, that person becomes their life. She doesn't care about anything right now except for you. For you to reject her and make her believe that you will never, ever have feelings for her… it was too much. I barely caught her before she jumped off a cliff."

"We've never seen someone imprint on a vampire before," added Carlisle. "This is very unusual."

I was baffled. They were acting as if I had some sort of duty, like I owed this girl something. "I still don't know what you expect me to do," I said. "I do not wish her any ill will, but I cannot _pretend_ to have feelings for her."

Leah began to shake. The man quickly scooped her up and took her outside, but not before throwing me a glare.

Carlisle, Emmett, and Jasper turned towards me.

"He is really very confused," commented Jasper, eyeing my with a bemused expression.

"I kind of like Leah. She's not afraid to fight with me," said Emmett. He took a step closer to me. He bent down so he was at my eye level. "What, you don't like a girl with some fight in her? If she kills herself, you will be in so much trouble."

Carlisle frowned. "I don't think we'd be able to protect you from the wolves if that were to happen, Demetri. I don't know that we actually would, considering the terms we parted on."

That was fair. I thought Aro was a mad man for sending me here in the first place. In their position, I probably would have killed me too!

"She's the only reason you're alive, dude. If Jake and Seth didn't kill you, we sure as hell would have," added Emmett. "You _do_ owe her."

"So what am I supposed to do here, then?" I shrugged.

"Go flirt, you lame ass! She saved your life! You could at least give her a little wink, a little compliment! If she goes, you're dead meat. Fair game, you understand?" Emmett was trying to intimidate me. Child. Did he not realize who I was? Who he was messing with?

I stood up, ignoring the stabbing in my abdomen. If all it would take to get this family off of my back was a conversation with the infatuated werewolf, then I'd do it. It didn't seem like I had any choice in the matter. She was the one keeping me alive. If she killed herself, then there would be wolves _and_ vampires after me.

"I will find her and try to talk her. I honestly have no idea what I could possibly say to her."

Emmett took a step back and winked. "Oh, I don't think you'll need to say much."

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes and pushed past him. It wasn't hard to locate Leah. Her mind seemed to call to mine much louder than any of the others. There were others with her, which didn't surprise me. The same man from before. Jacob was also there.

They weren't far. Just a mile or so away from the house. It took me longer than it should have to get there. I scowled at the pain, but pushed myself forward. This girl was going to explain to me this whole situation.

The three of them were on the ground. A huge black wolf and Jacob's wolf were huddled protectively around Leah. She had not phased, and was curled into a ball on the damp ground. The black wolf and Jacob stood abruptly at my approach and bared their teeth.

Leah shot up and smacked both of them. "Don't you growl at him!" she snapped.

I couldn't help it. I laughed. The image, a girl in an oversized t-shirt hitting two massive wolves was something I had never hoped to see.

Leah's eyes snapped to mine at the sound. She smiled for a moment. Just a moment. Then she looked heartbroken again.

I took another step towards her. "I, uhh… I need to talk to you." I had no idea what I was doing. Nothing like this had ever happened to me before. Nobody had ever been so completely smitten with me.

Leah glared at her wolves. "Sam, Jake, get out of here."

They gave me one more growl before turning and bounding into the forest. I had a feeling they would still be watching us.

I did not have many awkward moments in my life. Vampires were graceful people. Grace by its very nature tended to keep the awkward moments at bay. However, standing there looking at Leah, I suddenly felt very, _very_ awkward.

She ran her hand through her short black hair and sighed. "Of course I look ridiculous right now. That's just fucking perfect." She held her arms out and looked down at herself. "I look like a kid."

I smiled. She did look a little bit funny. She was drowning in that shirt.

She closed her eyes. She looked like she was in pain. "This is just awful."

"I wish I knew what was going on here. Things seem like they are getting out of my control very quickly, and I cannot really stand it!" I exclaimed.

She opened her eyes and motioned me closer. I approached slowly. When I was about two feet away, she sat down. I was surprised I could stand to be so close to her without any discomfort. She didn't have the same scent that the others did. She smelled like cinnamon.

I sat down across from her and waited.

It was a minute before she spoke. She was looking down at her lap. Her eyelashes fluttered against her high cheekbones. She looked so solemn.

"This is embarrassing," she muttered before looking up at me. "I swear I am cursed."

"You're starting to hurt my feelings," I joked. Maybe if I returned her to her pack happier, they'd let me leave with all of my limbs.

She laughed abruptly. "Like I could do that!"

I shrugged. "I have no idea what any of this is about. Why couldn't you hurt my feelings?"

She rolled her eyes. "Because you're my soul mate."

"I don't believe in soul mates," I replied matter-of-factly. It was true. I had been on this Earth for so long. If there was somebody for me, I would have found her already.

"I have no choice!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms into the air. "Trust me, if it was up to me, you'd be off doing your vampire thing in Italy. I'd be somewhere else, away from all of this crazy mythical nonsense. But no, I had to go and imprint."

I shook my head. They kept using that word. It had no meaning to me.

She seemed to sense my confusion. "It's something that happens to werewolves sometimes. They see someone and bam!" she clapped her hands. "The universe just totally changes." She was quiet for a moment. Thinking. "You are the only thing to me now. You may not like it, but that is how it has to be."

I didn't know what to think. How bizzare! "But why?" I breathed.

"Sam thinks it's some genetic thing. You mate with the person who you have to best chances of reproducing with." She laughed bitterly. "But seriously, if this isn't the universe telling me I'm infertile, I don't know what is. Jake's dad thinks that you imprint on the person who makes you the strongest, or can make your children the strongest. I'm more inclined to believe that. A vampire in my corner would certainly make me stronger."

I raised an eyebrow. "You can't be serious? You have so many vampires in your corner."

She shook her head. "They aren't there for me."

"I don't know about that. They seem to be very attached to you."

She sighed and her cinnamon breath filled the air.

"Why did you try and kill yourself?" I was entranced. I needed to know more about imprinting.

She put her head in her hands. "You don't want me. My life means nothing if you aren't in it," she whispered.

I frowned. It was a strange thing, to hear that your existence was all that mattered to another person. "Well…" I started, the awkwardness returning again. "Please don't."

She looked up at me. A tear glistened on her cheek. I had the sudden horrifying urge to wipe it away. Her stories were getting to me.

"You want me alive?" she breathed.

My voice would have given her the wrong idea then. I could only nod.

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><p><strong>Hoo-boy. POOR EVERYONE!<strong>

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	4. Chapter 4

**I just love writing this story!**

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><p>I had honestly thought I was done being surprised by that point in my life. I had lived a thousand years. I had seen everything there was to see, many times. Nothing was new.<p>

But after the conversation with Leah, I was not so sure that was the case anymore. After I told her that I didn't, in fact, want her to end her life, she seemed to become a whole different person.

"You want me alive?" she repeated, a smile breaking across her face.

I paused. "Well, I certainly wouldn't want you to end your life on account of me."

She laughed. She pushed herself to her knees and closed the distance between us surprisingly quickly. She wrapped her arms around my torso and hugged me tightly.

I stiffened. There were so many things wrong with the moment. First of all, I did not think I had given Leah any indication that I was someone to be hugged. Nobody hugged me. I was not "a hugger." Second, and perhaps most importantly, my torso was still torn up very badly. There was something about a wound from a werewolf that made me heal slower than usual.

I let out an involuntary hiss.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, and unwrapped herself from my waist. "I was just so happy and you just looked so handsome and I am so _stupid!_ I must smell horrible and then I just go shove myself all up in your face. Dumb." The scowl returned.

I shook my head. "It's not that," I said through clenched teeth. "My stomach."

Realization seemed to hit her quickly. Her face fell. "I'm sorry," she whispered. She looked horrified. Tears pooled in her eyes. The mood swings happening were driving me crazy. I had gone whole centuries without feeling sad! This girl had gone from sad to happy to sad again so quickly, I was having trouble keeping up.

She angrily wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "Seriously, what is _wrong_ with me? I do not cry!"

"Truly, it's okay. There is no need to be so upset." I tried to keep from sounding baffled, but it didn't work.

Leah pushed herself to her feet and offered me her hand.

I waved her away and stood up on my own. I certainly didn't need help. I kept my face expressionless as fire gnawed at my stomach.

"You should get back to Carlisle," she said. She didn't wait for me to respond. She took my hand and pulled me toward the Cullen house. My leg throbbed painfully, but I hid it as well as I could.

"Honestly, there is nothing he can do. Medicine doesn't work. I will heal, but it will take time," I explained.

"Well, then you can go rest!"

It was slow going, but we finally arrived at the house as night approached. It had been a very strange day. It was a little had to believe that just that morning I was having breakfast in Italy. Now I was being helped into the house of a family who had hated us by a werewolf who loved me.

It would be a relief to shower and rest a little bit. Down time to process things was definitely something I would not argue against.

I stopped before going inside. "Thank you for explaining this to me." I meant it. Even if I didn't really believe or understand this imprinting thing fully, it was nice to finally know what it meant.

Leah smiled. "You're welcome."

I felt incompetent. I had talked to women before, obviously. I was usually relatively good at it. I never encountered problems communicating. But this was different.

I gave her a quick smile and went inside.

Emmett was there, wiggling his eyebrows. "Did you flirt?"

I sighed. "She will be fine. I don't think you will lose a sparring partner anytime soon."

He held up his hand for a high five. "Yeah, you go get her, tiger!"

I looked pointedly at his hand for a moment, and he dropped it to his side.

After another quick once over by Carlisle, I took a shower. It felt so good to wash the day off. I was grateful for the clothes that Carlisle lent me. My shredded pants and shirt were not the most comfortable items of clothing. When I finally felt clean, I retreated into one of the spare bedrooms that Carlisle said I could stay in until I decided what I was going to do.

There was no bed, of course, but the couch there looked very inviting. I sank into it, and swung my legs up beside me. I took a deep breath. It was quiet. I loved the quiet. It seemed as though the Cullens always had something exciting happening in their lives. Vampires, werewolves, a strange vampire-human hybrid. It was like a house out of a horror story.

A cell phone was a very recent addition to my life. I had only had one for a few years, which was nothing compared to how long I had lived without one. Because of that, I was surprised every time I felt a little buzzing in my pocket. All I wanted was a moment of peace. Of course that's when my phone would ring.

It was at my ear in an instant. A quick glance at the screen told me who it was. I squeezed my eyes shut and pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Aro!" I answered as jovially as I could manage.

"My dear Demetri, how are things going?" he asked enthusiastically.

I paused. I wasn't sure how I would tell him about everything that had happened. "Things are… interesting." I didn't want him to know exactly what had happened yet. He would send the guard if he heard that the Cullens had me, but I didn't think that was necessary just yet.

"Oh, of course it has been! Have you been able to make contact?"

"Yes, I've spoken with a young wolf," I answered. I left out that there had been far _more_ contact with many other wolves.

"Wonderful! Let me know when you make progress." He paused. "And do not disappoint me," he added, the excitement gone from his voice. He sounded deadly serious. The line clicked and he was gone.

I sighed and slipped the phone back in my pocket. I took big, deep breaths. We couldn't sleep, which I had grown used to. I had hated it for a very long time. The opportunity to escape reality for hours at a time was irresistible to me. A place completely void of responsibility, of conscious thought.

I liked to try, though. I would close my eyes and focus in on one tenor in my head. I didn't want to think of this family, of these wolves. I wanted someone far away, unrelated. I picked through all of the louder, closer sounds. Leah's almost begged to be followed, but with some concentration I ignored it. There was one sound, a deep bass kind of thinking, that I was drawn to. How did I know this mind? Someone in Italy knew him, a girl. I could pick out Heidi's familiar tenor. She knew him, then. He was somewhere very far away, on the other side of the world. Southern. Africa, it seemed.

The game in my head took time. I lost days playing. Aro never minded. He said if I was training my power, then it was okay by him.

I heard the front door slam with the noisy entrance of a werewolf. It was Seth. My eyes flew open, and I was unsurprised to find that it was light outside. The sun didn't shine, of course, and I was beginning to miss that part of my home.

He marched up the stairs, and I had a feeling he was coming to see me. I pushed myself to my feet as he opened the bedroom door. I was already feeling much better. The pain in my leg and abdomen had just become a dull throbbing.

"So are you going to take my sister on a date or what?" he asked quickly. He stood in the doorway, eyeing me defiantly.

A date? I did not date. I did not date vampires, humans, and especially not werewolves. Oh, I certainly was acquainted with plenty of women, but they were not the dating kind either.

"Because I got an earful all night about how _wonderful_ you are," he scoffed. "And if you kill my sister, I'll kill you," he added harshly.

"Trust me, I have no intention of killing anyone here."

"You don't have to put a finger on her to be the reason for her death. Make her happy. She'll be here later for your date." Without another word, he left the room and slammed the door behind him.

I had never felt so utterly trapped before. They wouldn't let me run, not if it meant that Leah might kill herself. Even if I tried to fight my way out, I'd be dead before I made it outside. I didn't want Aro to bring the guard in yet. I'd lose a lot of credibility if I wasn't able to get myself out of this situation.

But maybe this ordeal wasn't such a bad thing. Aro wanted me to get close to the wolves, to figure out what made them tick. A perfect opportunity had certainly presented itself. I had a werewolf dying to see me and talk to me. If Aro wanted information, that was certainly a way to get it.

I grinned. Maybe a date wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

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><p><strong>Sneaky Demetri! If you reviewed, that'd be GREAT!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**I LOVE THEM! Sorry for not updating. I just started at a new school, and things are hectic!**

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><p>"So embarrassing! I do not need my baby brother to go around making dates for me," she fumed. Her hands began to shake.<p>

Carlisle, Alice, and I were downstairs. I was discussing possible date locations with them. I had never set foot in the town of Forks before. I was not entirely sure where I would be expected to take her. What did werewolves even eat?

Alice flashed me a look. I knew what that meant. I had obligations here. It was apparently my job to keep Leah from phasing in the house.

"Leah, it's truly no problem. I was going to ask you out to talk anyway," I assured her. That part wasn't a lie. I needed to know more about the wolves, and this was a golden opportunity. She would tell me anything I needed to know, and I'd be able to relay that information back to Aro.

"See! Now let's go!" exclaimed Alice. She grabbed Leah's hand and pulled her up the stairs.

Leah threw Carlisle and me a desperate look before she disappeared.

"There is a restaurant that Bella used to like. La Bella Italia. It is in Port Angeles. We have plenty of vehicles, and I think that would be an acceptable place," said Carlisle, finishing our conversation from earlier.

"An Italian restaurant. How appropriate."

Carlisle smiled. "You are doing the right thing here, Demetri," he said in barely a whisper. I assumed he didn't want Leah to hear. "Keep an open mind. You may surprise yourself."

I pursed my lips. Nothing was going to happen. I knew that for sure. I kept my mouth shut, however, out of self-preservation.

"Alice, I am twenty-eight years old! I think I've mastered the art of getting myself dressed, thanks," barked Leah impatiently from upstairs.

"But you're so _slow_," complained Alice.

Just before Leah came back downstairs, Carlisle flipped me the keys to a vehicle. "Remember, we will be watching."

It was something that I was entirely unable to forget. Even if the vampires weren't watching, I knew for a fact there would be wolves present. I would not be able to try anything.

"I can walk!" snapped Leah as she appeared at the top of the stairs. Her face was creased with frustration. She pulled at the hem of her dress.

Alice was right behind her, grinning widely.

Leah was wearing a dress of deep purple. The color looked very nice against her copper skin. It clung to her body tightly, leaving almost nothing up to the imagination. I had to give that to her; she certainly did have a nice body.

Her annoyance evaporated when her eyes landed on me. She smiled and descended the stairs. It seemed almost as if she was walking slowly on purpose. I laughed at Alice, who looked like she was about one second from carrying Leah to the date herself.

I held out my arm for Leah as she reached the bottom step. She took it eagerly. I was struck by her scent and was surprised again. She smelled nice, completely unlike any of her wolf brothers. I opened the door for her and ushered her out into the night.

"Have her back by midnight or you're grounded!" called Emmett from upstairs. I closed the door on his hooting laughter.

"You would think that I'd be used to them by now," she mused. "But they are seriously just as annoying as ever."

"You're telling me," I muttered.

In the garage, the number of cars the Cullens had was a little bit astounding. Someone here really enjoyed their luxury automobiles. I pressed the button on the key to unlock the car, and a simple black BMW honked back at us.

I opened Leah's door for her. She climbed in, and a moment later we were speeding down the rainy roads of Forks on our way to Port Angeles.

We sat in silence for a few minutes. I wasn't sure what to say. I could feel her eyes on me. I smirked.

"What are you grinning about over there?" asked Leah.

"Well, I've never been so openly admired!" I laughed. "You may be a lot of things, but subtle is not one of them!"

She sighed. "You know, I am usually so much cooler than this!" A shadow crossed over her face, and I noticed her hand twitching.

"Are you?" I prompted.

She nodded. "I loved playing hard to get." She frowned and her entire arm was shaking. I had to calm her down or else I'd owe Carlisle a new BMW.

"I have an idea. How about you act like yourself and show me what I'm missing here." The words came out in a rush.

Leah pursed her lips and a smile threatened to break through. "You don't want to get them a new car, then." She took a deep breath and her body was finally still.

I relaxed. "Not that I wouldn't be able to, but it does seem like a little more trouble than I want to deal with."

She nodded. The tension in the atmosphere melted away. She was not as on edge anymore, and that relaxed me. A calmer Leah was a human Leah, and I could work with that.

"Were you actually going to ask me out?" she asked.

I actually had been planning on it. Aro needed information, and Leah had fallen into my lap like my very own werewolf encyclopedia. There was no way I'd be able to pass up the opportunity.

"I think we still have a lot of things to discuss," I answered. "I hardly know anything about you. And you don't know anything about me! How can you be in love with me when you know nothing?"

Leah shrugged. "I keep telling you that I have no choice. You think I'd choose to be in love with a super handsome, smart, exotic vampire?" she scoffed, hiding a smile.

"There are parts of my life that you would have troubles with," I added, keeping my eyes on the road. I was not like the Cullens. I _was_ a monster. I killed and fed on humans regularly. The thought of it brought a familiar burning to my throat. I was thirsty.

Leah sensed a change in the atmosphere. "What's wrong?" asked Leah. She put her hand on my thigh and leaned towards me. Her heartbeat sped up. Her cinnamon scent filled my head.

I shook my head and held my breath. "I didn't realize how being injured would affect my thirst." It took a lot of energy to heal. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have had to feed for another week or so. These were not normal circumstances.

Leah frowned and looked closer at my face. I didn't face her. I kept my eyes on the road.

"You know, I don't think you'll be able to eat how you're used to here," she muttered.

"I am aware of that," I growled.

We were quiet as the lights of Port Angeles shone into the car. We were only a minute away from the restaurant.

"We're not going to eat here," said Leah. "Pull over."

"No, I am going to take you to La Bella Italia and you are going to have a great time and everything will be good," I said quickly. I still held my breath. My throat was on fire.

"Pull over," she commanded, and this time I did as she said.

She was still looking at me intently. I didn't meet her gaze.

"Demetri," she said.

I closed my eyes.

"Demetri, seriously," she repeated.

I sighed and turned towards her. Her hand was still on my thigh. She didn't seem to find the situation uncomfortable at all. She reached forward slowly and swept a piece of hair out of my face. "Demetri, we're going to play a game."

"A game," I repeated dully.

She nodded. She leaned back and crossed her arms across her chest. "I hear so many things about your _great _tracking skills, but I'm not so sure. I think I could outrun you."

I laughed. "You may run faster, but I will find you wherever you go! You have to stop at some point."

She shrugged. "Sure, you _say_ that, but _I've_ never seen it."

She was challenging me! Did she know who I was? I was the best tracker in the world! "You have no idea what you're talking about!" I exclaimed.

"Catch me if you can!" she laughed before bursting out of the car.

I smiled and waited a second. I could give her a head start. This was going to be no problem.

I left the car behind and plunged into the trees beside the road. I closed my eyes and ran. I could hear her mind. It was singing, almost taunting me! She wasn't far, but she was very fast. I was still recovering from my injuries, so I wasn't running as fast as I was able. I could smell her delicious scent. It was mouthwatering.

I was surprised when I realized I was gaining on her. Not just gaining! She had stopped. In a minute, I skidded to a stop. She was in the center of a small clearing in the woods, in her wolf form. She had something next to her. Something that was bleeding.

I didn't think before I pounced. It was a small deer, still alive. I was so thirsty, and hunting Leah had made me leave my rational mind behind. In that clearing, I was an animal. I quickly and cleanly drained the animal. It wasn't a lot, but it made me feel much better. I could feel my mind return to me.

While I was eating, Leah had phased back. She had managed to keep her dress, and was sliding into it when I stood up. I didn't know what to say to her!

She had tricked me into feeding. I should have been upset, I supposed, that she had tricked me into eating "vegetarian," but I was just relieved to have my thirst quenched. I had been having a hard time controlling myself in that car, and if I would have gone to that restaurant, I don't know if I would have been able to keep my composure.

She had saved me from doing something embarrassing. She was smart! I would not have followed her if she had said "Let's go eat some deer!" But by turning it into a challenge, she got me acting on instinct, and she knew that I would not be able to resist even a deer in that state.

She laughed. "It's okay, you can say it. I'm a genius!"

I smiled. I could not help myself. I swept her into my arms. I spun her around and then set her back on her feet "You tricked me!" I exclaimed. "I should be so mad, but it's refreshing!"

My cheeks felt warm. Feeding always made you feel that way.

"If I knew tricking you would elicit this response, I would have done it ages ago!"

She was brilliant. The mixture of recently feeding and the rush of the hunt made me do something that I never would have done under normal circumstances. But as I was coming to realize, this was not a place for normal things to happen.

I put my arm around Leah's waist and pulled her closer. She was so warm. Her heart beat loudly. I cupped her face in my other hand and pressed my lips to hers.

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><p><strong>OH SNAP, LOOK AT THAT HOOPLA! What's gonna happen? WHO KNOWS?!<strong>

**I do. I knows.**

**Review?**


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